Power Up!

We are so busy in today's society. I sometimes wonder why that has happened. We have all these tools to help things to run more smoothly. From dishwashers (oh, yeah got to empty it again!), to computers. That's just it, the more stuff we have to help us the more we have to do. While it may be faster to send a friend an email, instead of a handwritten note, it takes us time to weed through the annoying emails from those we don't even know before we can actually write the friend we went on line to email in the first place.

So what should we do about our lack of time? I think Tim the Toolman Taylor was on to something several years ago. We need more power!

Creative Memories has been onto something in the power area too. From power sort boxes, (designed to quickly sort photos), to power layout boxes (for quickly laying out entire album projects), to power palettes (paper and stickers designed to work together perfectly). The power sort box is amazing. It holds 2400 photos- trust me on that one! It has allowed me to group my photos in the way that I intend to use them. From my home improvement album project to the photos set aside for my children's schools PTA album. All of my photos are organized so I can simple pull out the section I want to work on and not be overwhelmed by the other stacks of photos I have. We even have a computerized version of this called Memory Manager 2. Having trouble with digital photos, this is the software for you. It helps you to sort, organize, crop, enhance, and get rid of red eye. It has many more functions as well.

Power layout boxes are also wonderful. These simple boxes with their guide pages allow me to plan out an entire album project in one sitting. I simple layout my pictures, stickers, paper and other items I want on each page and then flip to the next page and keep it all together in one place until I'm ready to mount it down on the actual pages and do my journaling. I actually have found that I can store my whole Power Palette in my power layouts box and take it with me to work on at any location.

So what are Power Palettes? They are paper packs in both monochromatic colors and designer prints, 4x6 photo mounting paper, journaling boxes, titles and stickers that all are in the same color scheme. I have been working on albums for over 7 years and I have never had my current years family album so up to date. All of the photos I want to scrapbook from January-May are in the album. I almost always was a year to a year and a half behind. Now I'm less then 6 months behind. It is so neat to be able to actually show people your photos in the album, instead of flipping through them on the computer or in a pile on the table. The color options are great too. All can be seen on my website www.mycmsite.com/sites/kropwithkathy

So, what's next in the power line? I can only imagine it will be as powerful as the rest. As for my power plan...2007 family album will be done and on the coffee table at Thanksgiving! Now that's powerful.